Pool-table.



Patented Aug. 20, I90l.

m 9 8 1 m G IBM RA, B M. R M m m 9 5 7 U. 8 6 N (No Model.)

Unirrnn rawns nrnivr @rrrcn FREDERICK II. BRIGGS, OF

BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

POOL=TABLE.

SEECIFICATIQN forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 680,759, dated August 20, 1901.

Application filed August 5, 1899.

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, FREDERICK H. BRIGGS, of Boston, in the county of Suffolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improved Pool-Table, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is an end elevation of a pool-table embodying my invention, and Fig. 2 a longi tudinal section on line 2 2 of Fig. 1. Figs. 3, 4, and 5 are details hereinafter referred to.

The objects of my invention are to obviate the necessity of the presence of an attendant near the table and to collect the balls from the pockets of the tablein areceptaele which is normally secured in a closed or inaccessible position by mechanism which can only be operated by a coin, so that it will be impossible for the players to have access to the balls again or to repeat the game without first releasing the receptacle in which the balls are secured by depositing a coin in the mechanism which controls the receptacle; also, to

' prevent the cue-ball from entering the receptacle, so that it may be at all times accessible to the players.

My invention is a pool-table constructed with a guideway leading from each of the pockets to a receptacle for the balls, into which the balls are directed by the guideways, which receptacle is normally secured in a closed or inaccessible position by means of a coin-controlled mechanism which serves to hold the receptacle in its closed position and prohibit access thereto except when said mechanism is operated by a coin.

My invention further consists of means for automatically separatingthe cue-ball froi the other balls. I

In the drawings, A represents guideways for the balls, which communicate at one end with the pockets B and are each arranged in an inclined position and preferably converge to a centrally-located trough a, from which an inclined guideway A leads to a receptacle 0. As the balls enter pockets B they descend by gravity along the guideways A to trough a, and from trough a along the guideway A to the receptacle 0. The receptacle 0 is shown as a drawer mounted in the frame 13 Serial No. 726,227. (No model.)

of the table and provided with a handle 0', by which it can be moved in and out.

Any suitable coin-controlled mechanism may be employed for locking the drawer O in its closed position. I have shown a bolt 61 pivoted at cl within a casing (P, which is secured in a recess formed in frame B, and the free end of bolt cl engages a socket 0 provided on drawer O. When it is desired to disengage the bolt 01 from socket 0 a coin is dropped in the open end of a slot 61 and deposited between bolt cl and the end of a plunger 01 By moving plunger d the coin will bear against bolt d and swing it on its pivot cl out of engagement with socket (3 thus releasing drawer C. A spring 0 ejects the drawer to a limited extent when bolt d is disengaged from socket c and the coin falls by gravity into a compartment 0 and bolt (Z is then free to again engage socket 0 when the drawer O is pushed in. The spring 0 by moving the drawer O outwardly to a limited extent, serves to prevent the bolt d from dropping back into engagement with socket 0 before the operator has had opportunity to remove the balls. In order to close the opening a when the drawer is moved out, the latter is provided with an overhang 0 which is moved under and closes opening c and onto this overhang any balls descending the guideways will fall and remain until the drawer is again closed.

As a means for separating the cue ball from the other balls and for preventing said cue-ball from entering the drawer O the end of guideway A adjacent drawer C is provided with an extension A which is pivoted at as in brackets or uprights secured to frame B. This extension A is counterbalanced by a weight ad, which is adjustably mounted on an arm a integral with extension A The balls used in connection with my improved pool-table should consist of a cue-ball and a number of other balls, with the cue ball slightly less in weight than the other balls, and the weight a is so adjusted upon arm a that when one of the heavier balls rolls upon extension A it will depress said extension and fall through opening a into the receptacle C, but when the cue-ball, which is'lighter than the other balls, rolls onto the extension A its weight is not suflicientto depress said extension, and it is prevented from entering receptacle 0. The extension A declines slightly toward one side thereof, and adjacent the lower side of said extension is one end of a guideway A onto which the cue-ball rolls and by which the cue-ball is directed to a suitable position convenient and accessible to the players. Upon a bracket a? on guideway A is secured a light spring 0, the free end of which lies in the path of the balls, and this spring serves'to slightly retard the movement of the balls as they" pass under it sufficiently to prevent two balls from passing 15 onto extension A at thesame time.

What I- claim is In a pool-table the combination of a receptacle; guideways connecting said receptacle with the pockets of the table; and means for automatically separating the cue-ball from the other balls, substantially as described.

FREDERICK H. BRIGGS.

Witnesses;-

ARTHUR F. RANDALL, HENRIETTA POWERS. 

